Jafar Panahi has won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
The 64-year-old filmmaker received the top prize at the prestigious film festival for It Was Just an Accident, the drama movie inspired by his six-year prison sentence and years-long conflict with the Iranian government.
Jafar - who was arrested in March 2010 and subsequently charged with propaganda against the Iranian government - said after receiving his award: "Let's put all the problems, all the differences aside; the most important thing right now is our country and our country's freedom.
"Let's reach that moment together when no one dares to tell us what we should completely include, what we should say, what we shouldn't do… Cinema is a society. No one has the right to tell us what you should do, what you shouldn't do."
Juliette Binoche, the jury president, heaped praise on It Was Just an Accident, observing that the drama film "really stood out".
She said: "It's very human and political at the same time because he comes from a complicated country, politically speaking… The film springs from a feeling of resistance, survival, which is absolutely necessary today. So we thought it was important to give this film the paramount award."
Meanwhile, Joachim Trier's drama film Sentimental Value won the Grand Prix at Cannes.
The movie - which stars Stellan Skarsgard and Elle Fanning - tells the story of a filmmaker who tries to reconcile with his daughter.
Elsewhere, the Jury prize was shared by Sirat - the drama movie written and directed by Oliver Laxe - and Sound of Falling, which was co-written and directed by Mascha Schilinski.
Wagner Moura won the Best Actor award for The Secret Agent, while Nadia Melliti was named Best Actress for her performance in The Little Sister.
Source: Bang
